squat rack

[xueimelynnad]

I kinda want to build a squat rack into the basement wall, attached is a quick idea, just a few 2x4's screwed into some studs, anyone tried this?

[C Man]

I've seen pics of other similar setups (sorry, no links handy). I think you'd be better off with the addtional support pieces attaching from below rather than above though. Depending on how much weight you're using you might also consider doubling up the wall studs and support pieces.

[smokeater]

I kinda want to build a squat rack into the basement wall, attached is a quick idea, just a few 2x4's screwed into some studs, anyone tried this?

Your walls are not strong enough to support that kind of weight. Unless you're going right into the concrete I think this is a very bad idea that could prove to be an expensive bad idea.

[nithos]

Just by a squat rack.

[xueimelynnad]

a. dont have money to buy a rack
b. its unlikely for me to be squatting more than 300lbs anytime soon, I can garuntee that, so I mean, "that much weight" is slightly less than the 500+ that many here would squat. I dont even have more than 300lbs in weight sitting around
c. I could run another support down to the ground from each arm, and one to the stud below as well as above.

[Cogar]

You can actually purchase a good squat rack for home use and not spend much more than it would cost to build one. Look at this thread (link).

[xueimelynnad]

wait wait wait, I looked at those racks, and the price seemed to be about $120. Now, I would really enjoy hearing your reasoning behind saying that that is in anywhere NEAR the cost of a few 2x4's I have sitting around already, for free. Now, I may not have gone beyond calc2 in school, but I am pretty sure my math IS correct that 120 is greater, by far even, than 0. Please understand people, I am NOT going to buy a rack, I DONT HAVE THE FUNDS. I am looking for intelligent disscussion of the design of my homebrew model. Forgive my being direct, but do not respond telling me that it wont work or to go buy a rack. If you have some good ideas, like some who have responded, I would truely like to hear them, if not, or if you have do not have a lot of experiance building with wood or have not built anything like this, go discuss your breakfast in nutrition or debate whether flys or benches are better.

[RockyIV]

Try this site.

http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/magazine03/homegym.htm

The one you drew will not hold much weight.

[xueimelynnad]

thanks rocky, I might have to try that instead, or at least incorporate some serious loadbearing colomns

[RockyIV]

thanks rocky, I might have to try that instead, or at least incorporate some serious loadbearing colomns

You'll need something bigger than a 2x4. If the lumber you buy isn't pressure treated, no need for it to be, it won't be too expensive. You really need some sort of column directly underneath, or your nail will just come out when you stack 200lbs on the bar. Also, when doing squats you don't want to have to worry about the rack you're putting the weight on at the end of a set when your legs feel like jello. I would use at least a 4x4 with some serious x-bracing toward the wall. Keep us updated on this project.

[xueimelynnad]

well I have the peices of my old doorframe, doubled up 2x4 and nailed quite regularly. THen again I guess I could snag a 4x4 from a certain place I know of....

[JamesBarlow]

I built my squat rack out of 2x10's.

I put two together to make a single beam 4x10. One on each side of me. I notched them out to hold the bar were ever I wanted and placed them against the wall at about a 30deg angle.

Lagged the tops into the joists and mortared the bottoms and started lifting. It cost more then if I had scrounged up some free 2x4's, but it's much cheaper then a cheapo squat rack and based on the load ratings of those racks, it's just as stong.

[Newbydubie]

wait wait wait, I looked at those racks, and the price seemed to be about $120. Now, I would really enjoy hearing your reasoning behind saying that that is in anywhere NEAR the cost of a few 2x4's I have sitting around already, for free. Now, I may not have gone beyond calc2 in school, but I am pretty sure my math IS correct that 120 is greater, by far even, than 0. Please understand people, I am NOT going to buy a rack, I DONT HAVE THE FUNDS. I am looking for intelligent disscussion of the design of my homebrew model. Forgive my being direct, but do not respond telling me that it wont work or to go buy a rack. If you have some good ideas, like some who have responded, I would truely like to hear them, if not, or if you have do not have a lot of experiance building with wood or have not built anything like this, go discuss your breakfast in nutrition or debate whether flys or benches are better.

Take THAT mr SMOKEATER.

[Phosphate bond]

Used squat racks are something to consider. New York Barbells has some decently priced new ones that I actually think are pretty nice.

[xueimelynnad]

well this may in all fairness now be slightly moot. My new roomy has informed me of an iron house which is only $350 a year.... hard to pass that up when its about 2 min by bike from work.... and 4min from home

[smokeater]

wait wait wait, I looked at those racks, and the price seemed to be about $120. Now, I would really enjoy hearing your reasoning behind saying that that is in anywhere NEAR the cost of a few 2x4's I have sitting around already, for free. Now, I may not have gone beyond calc2 in school, but I am pretty sure my math IS correct that 120 is greater, by far even, than 0. Please understand people, I am NOT going to buy a rack, I DONT HAVE THE FUNDS. I am looking for intelligent disscussion of the design of my homebrew model. Forgive my being direct, but do not respond telling me that it wont work or to go buy a rack. If you have some good ideas, like some who have responded, I would truely like to hear them, if not, or if you have do not have a lot of experiance building with wood or have not built anything like this, go discuss your breakfast in nutrition or debate whether flys or benches are better.

Cost has nothing to do with it. You are wanting to screw peices of wood into the support structures that are keeping a building up. I don't know how much you know about building construction but studs are designed to hold your house up. They are attached to the brick and masonry. They are designed to hold a lot of weight end to end. They are not made to hold the weight for the purposes that you are intending to use them for. So not only will you have a lot of weight on the ends, now you will add considerable weight to the side as well. Over time those pieces of wood will warp and bend and be extremely costly to fix. Not to mention if it fails on you, you'll have a pretty big hospital bill as well as a lot of damage to your home that will need to be repaired. A power rack may cost you a few hundred dollars, but repairs to your house may cost thousands.

If you are set on the idea of going into a wall then at least go into the masonry. There is a reason why commercially made squat racks are free standing and not designed to be screwed into a wall.

[smokeater]

Take THAT mr SMOKEATER.

It's one thing for you to post things that have no value, it's another to be a ****ing jackass whose sole purpose is to show everybody how annoying he is.

[xueimelynnad]

valid concern smokeater. your concern for my house falling down is touching, though I must disagree and wave a proffession of architectural engineering as my backing. houses dont fall down with the loss of two studs, houses dont fall down when you drive a truck through them(usually).
over time yes, if I kept a loaded barbell on there they WOULD most definately warp. but this will hold less than 300lbs for less than 20min only 3 times a week. plus I'd be going to ground with supports as well after taking that suggestion

[RockyIV]

Cost has nothing to do with it. You are wanting to screw peices of wood into the support structures that are keeping a building up. I don't know how much you know about building construction but studs are designed to hold your house up. They are attached to the brick and masonry. They are designed to hold a lot of weight end to end. They are not made to hold the weight for the purposes that you are intending to use them for. So not only will you have a lot of weight on the ends, now you will add considerable weight to the side as well. Over time those pieces of wood will warp and bend and be extremely costly to fix. Not to mention if it fails on you, you'll have a pretty big hospital bill as well as a lot of damage to your home that will need to be repaired. A power rack may cost you a few hundred dollars, but repairs to your house may cost thousands.

If you are set on the idea of going into a wall then at least go into the masonry. There is a reason why commercially made squat racks are free standing and not designed to be screwed into a wall.

I disagree with you about the studs. I'm a structural engineer by the way. The way it was originally draw was bad for many reasons, but the connection would fail before the stud would think about coming near to failure. The big problem is the connection, which is why you need a wooden support column to carry the vertical load. Check my previous post for the link and it will all make sense.

[xueimelynnad]

The way it was originally draw was bad for many reasons.

come on rocky, it wasnt THAT bad.... just not thought through much. I was bored with CAD in front of me and took about 3-10min to draw it and think about it.....

[RockyIV]

come on rocky, it wasnt THAT bad.... just not thought through much. I was bored with CAD in front of me and took about 3-10min to draw it and think about it.....

If you could come up with a good connection, it wouldn't be so bad, but I think that would be where the money would be spent rather than just getting a 4x4 or a 6x6 to take the vertical load. I didn't mean any offense by my statement.

[xueimelynnad]

no none taken really. You're probably one of the few people who could actually post a reasonable response anyways. I actually didnt even really bother with thinking about connections when I initially thought about it, just the tension member and keeping the load platform angled back into a V that would hold the bar well against the tension members. As I said before its not really all that likely that I will pass up a good deal on the club for a year, I could afford to spend 350 to get an entire gym, with 24hr access, but not 120 for a single peice of equipment, its a delicate line there you know.

[smokeater]

I disagree with you about the studs. I'm a structural engineer by the way. The way it was originally draw was bad for many reasons, but the connection would fail before the stud would think about coming near to failure. The big problem is the connection, which is why you need a wooden support column to carry the vertical load. Check my previous post for the link and it will all make sense.

I'm sorry. I need to get this right. You are a structural engineer and you are advocating that he attach pieces of wood to studs that will have the purpose of supporting hundreds of pounds of weights. And I must be reading wrong, you said "nails"? I think it is very irresponsible of you to use credentials like that to advocate something so potentially unsafe. Since you claim to be a structural engineer you know why wood is not used for making anything like this. Wood is a natural resources that decays over time. And when wood fails it typically fails quickly without much warning. I don't think structural collapse is an issue here, but extensive damage and personal injury is. I seriously doubt you'd be willing to put your credentials on the line and sign your name somewhere that says this kind of set up is safe. I think some people here should be asking themselves "why don't companies use wood instead of steel to make their products? wood is cheaper and easier to come by and takes less time to build". But hey, I'm not going to be the one hooking up some bizarre device to my studs and risking personal injury. I think any structural engineer advocating something like this should be putting his credentials for all to see.

You're probably one of the few people who could actually post a reasonable response anyways.

You mean he is the only guy to agree with you and tell you what you want to hear. Your initial drawing indicates the amount of time you have given intelligent thought to this whole idea. And yet you have all this attitude and condesending tone to your posts to everybody who doesn't agree with you. I just hope you don't get hurt in the process.

[RockyIV]

Smokeater, did you even see the link I posted above. I did not like his original design. As far as wood degrading, I'm sure he's constructing this rack inside, so the wood rotting is not a huge concern. Also, this is much more economical than a steel one and he doesn't need a welder. Look at the link I posted before responding please.

[smokeater]

Smokeater, did you even see the link I posted above. I did not like his original design. As far as wood degrading, I'm sure he's constructing this rack inside, so the wood rotting is not a huge concern. Also, this is much more economical than a steel one and he doesn't need a welder. Look at the link I posted before responding please.

Yes I did take a look at it. That's why I'm so baffled that an engineer would advocate it. And I said nothing about wood rotting. But all being said, he sounds like he already had his mind made up and isn't interested in the smart or safe thing to do. I'm not going to bother, I've said my piece and if he gets hurt he can't say nobody told him so.

[Newbydubie]

that pic of the squat rac is upside down. if you 1st supprot the studs that are there allredy with sum 2x6 or 2x8 horizontally across this will stop any lateral movment or any movement of the studs for that matter.then take those triangels and mount them to those horizontal supports through bolting them into the studs behind.you wont need any supports down to the floor.all of the weight will be tranfered to the wall insted of down.i built shelving using that method that can hold big amounts of wehgt for storage.the triangels shood have 1at least 1 support from 1 to the other to make them 1 unit. when peoople see the rack i built they cant beleeve it has no support to the floor.it is really strong and built really good.no matter what smokeater says most fire men dont have the brains to build sumthing like this.he shoold stick to puttin out fires.when a carpenter saw my shelfs he took picturs of it to built for himself.sorry for my spelling and dont listen to smokeater he just likes to start truble with people.look at all that junk he takes and wastes money on.

[RockyIV]

The real question here is how much weight is the rack going to hold. Without that you have no idea how it's going to perform. I happen to know the rack made of wood in my link will hold 500+. Also, you seem to think that steel is the only material that can hold a load. What do you think a house is made of? Wood can hold a hell of a lot of weight. So until you post your credentials, I will say the one I posted is safe as a professional engineer. Again, I am not endorsing the original design that started this thread. If you are a structural engineer, I'll listen to what you have to say, but otherwise, my expertise surpasses yours. Again, I make my living as a structural engineer. Wood is a find material that is cheap, available and easy to work with. I will be building the rack myself in about a month, that's how much I believe in this rack. I'll post pictures to prove it.

I seriously doubt you'd be willing to put your credentials on the line and sign your name somewhere that says this kind of set up is safe. I think some people here should be asking themselves "why don't companies use wood instead of steel to make their products? wood is cheaper and easier to come by and takes less time to build". But hey, I'm not going to be the one hooking up some bizarre device to my studs and risking personal injury. I think any structural engineer advocating something like this should be putting his credentials for all to see.

If it is build properly, I am willing to put my name on it. If you want to spend your money on a steel cage, more power to you, but I'll stick with my wood rack that I built with my own hands. The reason companies make steel ones is a production issue and not always a safety issue. Obviously, if the wood is degrading, replace it, it's called common sense.

[RockyIV]

I'm sorry. I need to get this right. You are a structural engineer and you are advocating that he attach pieces of wood to studs that will have the purpose of supporting hundreds of pounds of weights. And I must be reading wrong, you said "nails"?

Where did I say "nails"? The link I posted uses screws.

[Newbydubie]

here is a pic of smokeater readin the last post and gettin really mad while wearin his dunce cap <|;(

[smokeater]

RockyIV,

I do not believe you are a structural engineer. This is the internet where anybody can claim whatever they like and there are those who will simply take them at their word. You have continually hid behind your claims and not demonstrated that level of knowledge. You could be nothing more than a teenager sitting in the basement using his mom's computer for all we know.

My house is mostly made of concrete, what is yours made of? The foremost loadbearing aspects are made with steel. The framing is wood. You state that link you posted is equal to that of an engineer (yet it's nothing but a poor man's gym). I own equipment made by professional engineers and it is made of steel. Wood is strong, you are correct. However wood cracks and splits, which is exactly what would happen with the repeated sets. When wood fails it typically happens suddenly. What would likely happen is you'd hear some cracking and a few second later the weights would come crashing down. If you would like to compare an unprofessionally designed piece of equipment to my 14 guage steel equipment that is lazer cut with welded corners then that just proves you truly do not know what you are talking about. And if you do make your living as a structural engineer than you have more than enough money to buy a professionally made piece of equipment that has been tested in a factory.

And if you are going to point a guy to a website created by a guy named "Blood stained shins" who uses a milk crate for a bench that just reveals how little you truly know. I believe you are not a structural engineer and your level of demonstrated knowledge does not back up your outrageous claim. the internet is full of people who claim professions that they have not the expertise nor education of, and it seems like I've found one.